PIP cooking and preparing food

bluefox

I am just wondering with regards to this descriptor. If everything you actually ate was via a microwave but you were unable to cook a meal from scratch with fresh ingredients. What would be the appropriate descriptor?

and would this tie into taking nutrition as microwave meals aren’t exactly nutritious!

poppy123456

Getting a ready meal out of the fridge/freezer and putting into the microwave is not preparing a meal from scratch with fresh ingredients.

This has nothing to do with nutrition.

bluefox

I was just wondering, poppy, if you could also argue that by eating microwave meals that you’re not actually getting nutritious food. 

poppy123456

But you're still eating..

Activity 2 – taking nutrition

Notes

This activity considers a person’s ability to be nourished, either by cutting food into pieces, conveying it to the mouth and chewing and swallowing; or through the use of therapeutic sources.

The defined term ‘taking nutrition’ refers solely to the act of eating and drinking and so the quality of what is being consumed is irrelevant.

bluefox

Thanks, poppy 

madquasimodo

Its a funny one, Cooking and Preparing food, I had an accident at work, damaged the nerves in my arms, left with very poor grip and unable to hold things, dropping things, got loads of aids, funny spoon, I have problems lifting a spoon up without spilling it everywhere, special openers, special handles on almost everything, I was asked can you boil an egg, do you know when the egg is done, ok zero points.

OverlyAnxious

madquasimodo said:

I was asked can you boil an egg, do you know when the egg is done, ok zero points.

Does anyone know when a boiled egg is done?  It's not like they change colour externally.  I wouldn't have a clue how long to boil one for!

It also sounds like you couldn't reliably lift a pan of water to the hob, though I'm not sure whether that should have been considered for this descriptor.

poppy123456

Boiling an egg is not preparing a simple meal from fresh ingredients. Lifting pans or carrying items around the kitchen is not considered in this activity.

bluefox

poppy123456 said:

Boiling an egg is not preparing a simple meal from fresh ingredients. Lifting pans or carrying items around the kitchen is not considered in this activity.

When I explained this activity. I said I can cook using a microwave if I feel up to it but I don’t cook my main meals because of motivation & mood and the risk of having a seizure in the kitchen. 

I have also been recently diagnosed with ADHD and the last time I attempted to cook for myself, I left the food in the oven for 3 hours and forgot about it. 

OverlyAnxious

I'm not sure many assessors really understand this descriptor tbh.  It's one that seems to cause a lot of confusion with mental conditions.  OCD in particular, technically knowing how to do it, but being unable to handle raw ingredients or sharp knives due to overwhelming fear of injury or illness for example.

I scored 0 points after stating that I could put a tray of frozen chips into the oven.  I wouldn't call that a meal myself. 

(Can't remember if I went on to score points for food prep at tribunal.)